Schulz on the Turkish general elections

Yesterday's elections in Turkey were a healthy democratic exercise: the turnout was remarkable and the elections were free and fair. The election stands as proof of the vibrancy and pluralism of Turkish democracy.

The outcome of these elections now offers an opportunity to move from polarisation to dialogue, to reinforce the checks and balances in the system and to face the many challenges Turkey is confronted with: from a cooling economy to a testy foreign policy.

The entry into parliament of the HDP enriches the Turkish political landscape and offers an opportunity to reinvigorate the peace process, an opportunity which must be seized.

Turkey is a key EU partner and candidate country. The EU and Turkey might not see eye to eye on all issues, but we should never allow our differences to escalate into mystifications. We need a genuine and mutual commitment to move forward, be it in helping to stabilise our Southern neighbourhood or to move the accession process forward.

As I made clear during my last visit, I will never refrain from highlighting the great contribution Turkey makes on the international stage, for example, in welcoming millions of refugees from Syria and Iraq. I am equally firm however in underlining setbacks such as the worrying state of freedom of expression or the independence of the judiciary.

I look forward to working with the next government and with the new colleagues of the Grand National Assembly of Turkey to fortify EU-Turkey relations.